
The landmarks in every guidebook — and the tours that tell you what guidebooks don't.
Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world, a shallow inland sea covering nearly 40 square kilometres connected to the English Channel by a narrow entrance. The harbour gives Poole a geographical character unlike any other town on the Dorset coast, with tidal mudflats, wooded islands, and the exclusive sandy peninsula of Sandbanks projecting into the water to create some of England's most expensive coastal real estate. The old town of Poole clusters around the quayside at the harbour's edge, with a medieval merchant's house, the Tudor-fronted Scaplen's Court, and a working waterfront that still mixes leisure boats with commercial fishing.
Brownsea Island, in the middle of the harbour and reachable by regular ferry from Poole Quay, is the site where Robert Baden-Powell held his first experimental camp for boys in August 1907, planting the seed that grew into the worldwide Scout movement.
The island is now owned by the National Trust and has a large red squirrel population, woodland walks, and the peacocks that have wandered its glades since Victorian times. Poole's proximity to the Jurassic Coast, the 95-mile stretch of World Heritage shoreline that includes the natural arch of Durdle Door and the chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks, makes it a natural base for exploring one of England's most dramatic coastlines.

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4.8 across the App Store and Google Play. Here's a few we keep coming back to.
This tour was such a great way to see the city. The stories were interesting without feeling too scripted, and I loved being able to explore at my own pace.
This was a solid way to get to know Brighton without feeling like a tourist. The narration had depth and context, but didn't overdo it.
Started this tour with a croissant in one hand and zero expectations. The app just vibes with you, no pressure, just you, your headphones, and some cool stories.